One person has been killed and 30 others arrested following violence in northern Uganda ahead of a parliamentary by-election.
Police say opposition supporters threw stones at President Yoweri Museveni’s convoy as he left a campaign rally in the town of Arua. Security officers then intervened and the resulting clashes left one person dead.
The image of the bloodied body of a young man slumped over in a car quickly spread on social media in Uganda.
He was the driver of one of the country’s most charismatic political leaders, Robert Kyagulanyi, who is also a popular musician known as Bobi Wine.
Kyagulanyi was briefly taken into custody following the incident at the rally. Uganda Police confirmed on Tuesday morning that they no longer have him in their custody. HIs whereabouts are unknown.
Bobi Wine was last heard from on Monday evening when he took to Twitter to say that his driver had been shot dead, adding that ‘my hotel has been cordoned off by police and SFC’
Campaigns to replace the slain legislator of Arua Municipality, Ibrahim Abiriga, became riotous and deadly on Monday as supporters of the independent candidate Kasiano Wadri clashed with SFC security operatives, who are charged with protecting the president of the country.
President Museveni had spent the day in Arua campaigning for the ruling party candidate Nusura Tiperu, while Bobi Wine was also in the area to support Wadri.
Residents of Arua will cast their votes on Wednesday 15th August.
Bobi Wine’s announcement of the death of his driver shook many Ugandans who bemoaned the violent twist that the election had taken, recalling that Abiriga, whose replacement was being sought, had also been violently killed in June.
Senior Press Secretary, Don Wanyama quickly sent out an explanatory tweet saying opposition supporters attacked the president’s convoy, provoking the subsequent crackdown.
Police later confirmed this version of events, saying the president’s convoy had been blocked by opposition supporters before and after a rally he addressed in Arua.
‘‘When President Museveni was going to Boma grounds for the final rallies, he was met by a tractor that had the red ribbons. When leaving the grounds, he was then met with Hon. Wadri’s supporters,’‘ explained Emilia Kayima, Uganda Police spokesperson.
Red is the color worn by several opposition politicians and supporters including Bobi Wine and Wadri.
Police have confirmed that they have detained the independent aspirant for the Arua Municipality race, Kassiano Wadri, whose supporters were accused of attacking the president’s convoy.
‘‘But we have Hon. Wadri in our custody, we want to establish why he used force to evade police, was it a serious plan he had in mind to disorganize the campaigns!,’‘ said Jonathan Musinguzi, the West Nile Regional Police Commander.
They however claim not to have Bobi Wine in their custody.
‘‘Arua is calm and people are going on with their businesses. We don’t have Hon. Kyagulanyi at the moment but he’s one of the key suspects,’‘ Musinguzi added.
Earlier, the police spokesperson, Emilia Kayima, had confirmed that one death has been record and at least 30 people have so far been arrested.
